What Becomes of Us
by julesss
Summary: She is the stand-in Potions Master at Hogwarts. He is an Auror for the Ministry. She has just returned from hiding in the Muggle World. He has lived in the Wizarding all his life. They are both preparing to fight a war against the Dark Arts. What will become of them, and of their whole generation?
1. Part I

**A/N:** Hello friends. This is just a small ficlet that I couldn't forget the idea of. Forgive me. Also, enjoy.

 **Disclaimer:** Anything you recognize (e.g. the Harry Potter universe and everything in it lol) is not mine.

* * *

"Before we begin, I would like to say how sorry I am for your loss, Miss Evans."

In a way, Lily appreciated Dumbledore getting that out of the way. She knew he had asked to speak with her for a more important reason than to express his condolences for the death of her parents. She shut her eyes briefly as he spoke, nodding in response and in thanks.

"Now, I believe it might interest you to know that Professor Slughorn is taking a year off from teaching." It did interest her, though she didn't know why he was bothering to tell her. "He claims he hasn't seen enough of the world, and that staying here in England is causing too much stress. Quite understandable, given the circumstances, and I of course do not wish for him to be in bad health. However, I must find a replacement." He looked at her with that unnerving, pointed gaze of his that sent her back to her years at school. "Miss Evans," he continued, "Horace requested you."

She blinked, thrown. "But, sir, surely you're not considering this? I couldn't possibly be qualified!"

The Headmaster tilted his head and surveyed her. "Ah, but I agree with Horace. You are perhaps the best for the job, and just what this school needs."

"But I've been living in the Muggle world ever since school. And besides, I'm too young! No student in their right minds would listen to me. I'm barely older than them."

"Again, you do not give yourself enough credit, Miss Evans. You are perfectly qualified, if your N.E.W.T. scores are anything to go by. And, as I recall, you were Head Girl. You were successful at leading the student body then, and I fully believe you will be now." Dumbledore clasped his hands together. "As for your time in the Muggle world, I will not pry, but there are some things I will need to update you on. I'm afraid I must inform you of several issues that have arisen since you left the magical world."

Again, there was that gaze. It left Lily wondering if he was disappointed in her, and what could possibly have happened in the three years she was gone.

"But first, I must know if you will agree to take the post of Potions professor. You will be offered private quarters here in the castle, should you wish to live here."

Lily sat quietly for a long moment, staring down at her lap. On the one hand, she could return to her simple job at the book shop and her childhood home in the Muggle world, where her parents lived no longer. Or she could start anew in the Wizarding world, like she did at age eleven.

She raised her head and met her old professor's gaze. "I'll accept, professor."

He smiled. "In that case, you may call me Albus. We are colleagues now, after all."

Lily made a face, though she tried to hold it back. "Of course, Albus."

"Now, to update you. I'll start with the Order of the Phoenix, an organization of mine that I am quite proud of, I must say…"

* * *

The Auror office was nearly empty when James and Frank returned from their raid. Only Darcy, the office secretary, Alice, and Moody remained. Alice, James assumed, was waiting for Frank, whereas Moody would be waiting for their report.

Frank dropped a kiss on his wife's cheek before he followed James into Moody's office.

"Anything good?" the Head Auror asked in his usual grunt, hardly glancing up from the papers on his desk as the men filed in and shut the door.

"Only minor Dark artefacts. Stuff you could find at Borgin and Burke's. Nothing incriminating enough to pin him with," Frank reported.

"Aye, but that's better than nothing. Anything else?"

"Just that their wards are complicated, and that they're definitely hiding something," James added, his expression dark.

Moody snorted. "Of course they are, boy. Nott Senior is a known Death Eater. What else would you expect?" He leaned back in his seat and surveyed the partners standing before him. They looked exhausted, which was understandable given the understaffing in the Auror office. But they were his best men, so they were assigned the most work. "Tomorrow, then."

His blunt dismissal came as a relief to both James and Frank. They exited Moody's office, and closing the door behind him, James let out a sigh.

"Guess it's my turn, then?" he asked.

Frank nodded and grinned. "Paperwork doesn't do itself, mate." James groaned. "Besides, only one of us has a girl waiting up for them, and it's not you." He winked and left for the main doors, beckoning for Alice.

James look at the stack of parchment on his desk and sighed again. "Darcy?" he called.

They woman in question looked up at his voice, and immediately smirked. "Yes, James?"

"Looks like I'll be here for a while. Wouldn't exactly object to company…" He trailed off, but Darcy got the idea. She hopped off her seat, blonde curls bouncing. She perched on the corner of his desk and ran a hand through his hair.

"Long day?" she asked.

"Mhm," he replied, enjoying her attention but almost entirely focused on the parchment. The sooner he left, the better, in his opinion.

* * *

Three months in, and Lily's new position was a success. Teaching came more naturally to her than she thought—that is, once she got over her anxieties about it. The students had come to respect her, even the older ones. It was strange being a member of the staff at such a young age, but she had good relationships with her professors as a student, so it wasn't too difficult to get along with them as colleagues.

Along with her Potions classes, Lily helped Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing, even brewing potions for the Healer's stores. She visited Flitwick to talk about Charms, her other best subject in school, and regularly went down to Hogsmeade.

She forgot how much she loved the Wizarding world. It helped that her pay and living quarters were much better than what she had before. Working menial jobs and living under her parent's roof hadn't been ideal, but it was the best she could do without a full Muggle education. She had left to avoid the rising threats the Wizarding world posed, and her parents had never really accepted that she'd stick with magic after school. It was all too easy.

She remembered all too well why she left. Coming back to Hogwarts had reminded her of the prejudice and hate that came from a portion of the magical population. She'd had to put a stop to many taunts in the corridors, and her classroom wasn't much better.

But she wasn't going to think about that. It was the weekend, and once she finished the Blood Replenishing Potion for Poppy, she had plans to go to the Three Broomsticks.

She absentmindedly stirred the mixture in her cauldron counter-clockwise, adding one clockwise stir every few rounds. Just like Severus had taught her.

No. She wasn't going to think about that either.

* * *

James let himself into Sirius' flat and waited on the couch for his friend. They were due at an Order meeting soon, and James had finished his work earlier than he expected, so he decided to kill some time at his best mate's house.

"Hey, Prongs!" Sirius called from the bathroom. "Rumor has it we're inducting some fresh meat tonight."

James groaned. "Great. More people for me to train."

"Yeah, mate, but Dor says they're good. Anyways, you ready?"

James stood and nodded as Sirius came into view. They Disapparated to Hogsmeade with a small crack and set off on the path up to the castle, where all Order meetings were held.

They were a few minutes early, so Sirius went to go chat with Dorcas. James just took a seat and stared at nothing until Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"Alastor, I believe you had something to report?"

His tone of voice left James a little wary. He had a feeling he wouldn't like what Moody had to say.

"Right," Moody began gruffly. "Well, you all know Crouch has been getting aggressive. He's just proposed we grant all Aurors permission to use the Unforgivables."

"What?" James didn't know what he was expecting Moody to say, but that wasn't it.

"Yes, Potter. You'll hear more about it on—"

"What is he thinking? That it won't matter whether we kill or properly arrest them, as long as they're Death Eaters? Bullshit! That'll only make us just as bad as them!"

"You'd do well not to interrupt, James," Dumbledore said with a piercing look.

"Hold your fire, Potter," Moody growled. "I'll be sure to let the others know that the Unforgivables are a last resort."

James slumped back in his seat and kept his head down for the rest of the meeting.

"Now that all the reports have been given, I'd like to introduce you all to our newest member," Dumbledore addressed the room. "For those of you who don't know her, this is Lily Evans. She has filled Horace Slughorn's position as Potions Master while he is away."

Sirius, who sat behind James, leaned forward and muttered, "If I'd had her as my Potions professor, you can bet I would've gotten us many more detentions."

Peter snickered from his seat next to Sirius. James took the opportunity to actually look at the new member. She was certainly pretty, he realized with flip of his stomach. She had to be just a few years younger than him at most, which made her position as a teacher at Hogwarts even more impressive. And yet, he didn't remember her from school.

Sirius voiced his thoughts. "Funny, she doesn't look much younger than us, but I don't remember her from Hogwarts."

"I do," said Remus. The other three looked at him in surprise. "She's Muggleborn. Gryffindor, too, you know. And quite smart, so I'm not surprised she's a professor."

"Gryffindor, eh? How do I not remember her?" Sirius wondered, turning to watch the girl in question.

Lily Evans was talking to Dorcas as if they were old friends, which only confused them more. Who was that girl?

* * *

Her first Order meeting completely altered her new life in the Wizarding world. She reconnected with some of her friends from school, and suddenly it was like she had never left in the first place.

She had plans to meet Dorcas Meadowes and Benjy Fenwick for a butterbeer. Dorcas was one of the few Gryffindor girls in her year, and Benjy was her favorite Potions partner. They were both in the Order and delighted to see her again.

Benjy arrived late and slightly out of breath. "I hate to cancel on you, but there's just been an attack. Oakham in Rutland. I've been called to help."

"Wait," said Dorcas, alarmed. "Isn't that the town near Cokeworth?" she asked, looking at Lily.

"Yes, and near Uppingham. Those were where the last two attacks were, so they seem to be moving through the county. But I really do have to go." He dropped a kiss on Lily's cheek. "Another time?"

He left before she got the chance to nod.

Lily turned back to face the table and noticed Dorcas watching her. "You're from Cokeworth," she said, her voice hushed. Lily stiffened. "Oh, Lily," her friend breathed. "I didn't even think—oh, I'm so sorry."

Lily sat silently in her seat. Though they were in the Three Broomsticks, the atmosphere around their table was anything but warm and cheerful.

"Have you heard from Snape? Was it him?"

That was the worst question Dorcas could've asked, but it was the one that needed to be said. Lily shook her head, but Dorcas didn't know which question that answered.

Lily felt a burning sensation behind her eyes, but blinked several times. She refused to cry. She had joined the Order. She was working to avenge both her parents' deaths and her right for a place in the magical world. She was strong. She would not cry.

* * *

James and Frank were back at Nott Manor for another raid, though this one was not for the Ministry. It was Order business this time, so the Nott family was unaware of the two Aurors in the forest on the edge of their estate.

Due to their earlier assignment to the manor, James and Frank had familiarized themselves with the wards and defensive charms surrounding the property. They were able to cross the boundaries of the property and begin their mission, to search the grounds for any hidden Dark artefacts or objects of that nature.

They came across a smaller building, too big and well-kept to be a shed, while wandering the forest. Breaking the enchantments surrounding it was easy enough, but while they searched the place, voices approached them.

They couldn't leave without being spotted, and they didn't want to attract attention. James dove into what looked like a closet and Frank followed. However, only bad luck came their way, and soon enough they were exposed.

They did have a split second where Nott stared at the unwelcome guests, and in that second, James shouted, " _Stupefy!_ " The man fell, but he wasn't the only one in the room.

Both James and Frank were immediately caught up in duels. A curse barely missed James' ear as he ducked to avoid it, and he rolled behind a couch. He cast a Shield Charm to cover for Frank, and then another one for himself. He popped up and sent, " _Petrificus Totalus!_ " but the Death Eater blocked it. It cost him a curse to the arm, and James grunted in pain. Another man joined James' opponent and he was outnumbered. He cast hex after hex, but the Death Eaters got in a few hits of their own. James could feel blood trickling down his neck as he pushed himself from the ground after a particularly hard curse.

He heard a shout of triumph and knew Frank had come out on top. Good thing, too, because James was only just managing. Frank hit one of the Death Eaters in the back and they toppled to the ground, stunned. James overpowered the other, and then he and Frank took off. They managed to escape from the shed and fled to the edges of Nott's property. They saw more men running towards them in the distance, but Disapparated before they could get caught in more duels.

Frank wasn't hurt, having had easier adversaries. James knew he couldn't exactly go to St. Mungo's for help, since he hadn't been acting on Auror business, so his next best option was Madam Pomfrey at Hogwarts.

"I'm going to check in with Alice, or else she'll go mad with worry. I'll come back right after, mate," Frank told him once they made it to the doors of Hogwarts.

"Tell her I said hello," James replied before he set off for the Hospital Wing, attempting to ignore the steadily growing pain in his temple. He trudged through the doors, but the room was empty. He sighed and sat down on a bed, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

"Merlin's bloody—!" a voice yelped, and James jumped. He groaned, the sudden action causing a jolt of pain in his head. He slowly raised his head so as not to worsen the headache, and was surprised to see the new Order Member and Potions Master, Lily Evans, watching him.

"What, are you the new school Healer as well?" James grumbled.

Lily frowned. "No. Madam Pomfrey was called away, and she asked me to cover the Wing for her, should anyone show up."

"Right."

"I can assure you, I'm more than capable of taking care of student injuries or illnesses." The indignation in her voice was clear. "And besides, she'll only be gone for a few hours."

"Let's hope 'more than capable' can fix _me_ up," James replied wearily. He was in no mood for an argument.

The change in her expression was immediate. She dropped to her knees so that she was level with James and immediately began inspecting him for injuries. She inhaled sharply once she noticed the gash near the back of his head. Lily whipped out her wand and went to clean up his scrapes before working on the worst of his wounds.

Hoping to distract him from his pain, she attempted to strike up a conversation. "It's Potter, right?" she asked.

"Right. And you're Evans." He had agreed with Sirius at the last meeting that the newcomer was pretty, but it hit him then just how much. Up close, he could see how clear and green her eyes were, which only stood out more because of her red hair. She had a small spattering of freckles across her cheeks, though her skin was pale, and she had a nice smile. She seemed friendly, too, and obviously smart. Quite the witch, James thought.

It wasn't a question, but she nodded in response anyways. "You're an Auror?" He hummed a yes, and she continued, "I take it these weren't from Ministry approved business, then, since you came to the school and not Mungo's."

"Yeah," James agreed. "It was a double check of one of our jobs, but on Dumbledore's orders. Didn't go as planned, though."

Lily let out a short laugh in agreement. "Well you've only got one bad cut, and it's easily healed." She moved his head so she could reach the gash and began to clean it.

"Lucky me," James quipped.

Lily continued to clean and close up the wound on his head. Her back was to the main doors of the Hospital Wing, so she jumped when they opened and a pair of voices interrupted her concentration.

"All fixed up, James?" Frank asked.

"Almost," he replied. "She's still working on me." He motioned to the redhead attending to his injuries, who Frank only then noticed wasn't Pomfrey.

Before he had a proper look, Alice, who stood at his side, gasped and cried, "Lily Evans!"

Lily jumped again, but this time she turned to face James' guests. Her eyes widened as she recognized her old friend.

Alice rushed towards her and engulfed Lily in a tight hug. "Oh, Merlin, it's really you! Where have you been? _How_ have you been? I heard about the attack in your home. Oh, Lily, I'm so sorry. But, Merlin, I've missed you! It's been so long!" She paused upon realizing she was gushing, and ruefully smiled. "I do hope you're okay. It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you, too," Lily replied.

James spoke up from his position on the hospital bed. "You know each other?"

"Oh, yes. Lily was my favorite member of the Slug Club, and the only reason I ever went to those ridiculous parties," Alice told him, smiling fondly at Lily. "She went to our wedding, Frank. Though," and here she furrowed her brow, "I believe that was the last time I saw you."

"But that was a good three years ago," Frank pointed out.

Suddenly all gazes were on Lily. James didn't understand why she left the magical world apparently three years ago. Everything he had heard led him to believe she was exceptionally bright, and she had plenty of friends. But one look at her face told him there was a good reason for her disappearance, and he wasn't sure he wanted to hear it.

"It was in my best interest to return home." Lily's voice was strained, and Alice narrowed her eyes.

"That's shite. But what matters is you're here now, and a member of the staff of Hogwarts. How did you manage that?"

Lily shrugged. "I'm not actually a Healer. Poppy's just out for a while. But Dumbledore said Slughorn requested I be his replacement, so here I am."

James added, "She's in the Order now. Joined last meeting."

Alice gasped. "We had to miss that meeting for a mission! I can't believe it!"

"Yeah, well, I already tried to escape this war, and it didn't work. And besides, I'm a Muggleborn teacher at Hogwarts. It was a given that I joined eventually."

The woman's tone was casual, but it didn't sit right with James. Then he recalled Alice's comment about an attack, and added that to Lily's about failing to avoid the war, and it clicked.

"What happened?" he asked abruptly, interrupting whatever the women were saying to each other. Alice sent him a warning look, and Evans didn't turn to face him. Her body went still, but James pressed on. "You said you tried to hide from the war—a war that hadn't quite started yet, mind you, if my numbers are correct—but that it didn't work. And Alice, you mentioned an attack on her home. Were you hurt? Did the Death Eaters get to you?"

It took a moment, but Lily replied. "I'm from Cokeworth," she said, and immediately James guessed what she'd say next. "I'm sure you heard about the attack. I was away, at the shops. They killed my parents." The silence in the room was thick and pressing. "So, no, I was not hurt. But, yes, they found my home. I had foolishly thought I'd be safe, but evidently not. So I came back."

James didn't know what to say to that. He just sat and stared at the girl in front of him who suddenly seemed much older than he knew her to be.

"I'll just finish that cut, Potter, and you'll be free to go." It was clear she was putting an end to that topic of conversation, so he continued to sit quietly. She returned to her earlier position, squatting in front of him with her wand to the base of his neck. Within minutes, she had sealed the gash and he was healed. He was the last to leave the Hospital Wing, trailing behind his friends, and smiled at her in thanks on his way out. She returned it, albeit feebly, and then he left.

"Mate, I've got news for you," James said as he entered Sirius' flat. His friend was sprawled on the couch, reading a letter. As soon as James walked up, Sirius set the parchment down and cocked his head.

"Do tell, Prongs," he replied. "I could use some gossip. It's been a terribly boring day."

Remus walked in, then, fresh out of the shower according to his wet hair. "What's this about gossip?"

James settled down on an empty chair and looked at his two friends. "Right. You know Evans?"

"The fit new Potions professor?" Sirius asked, sitting up and leaning forward in interest.

"That's the one. Well, you know I had that mission today. It didn't go well, and I had to go to Pomfrey to get fixed up—only, it wasn't Pomfrey in the Wing."

"I'm assuming it was Lily," Remus said wryly.

James gave him a look, but nodded.

"So she's brilliant at Potions and Healing," Sirius cut in. "Moony did say she was bright. Is that all?"

"Oh, no, Padfoot. Alice and Frank showed up, and apparently she and Alice are old friends. Only, their wedding was the last time she'd seen Evans. Turns out she left the Wizarding world right after, to avoid the war." James sat back in his seat and waited as Sirius took that in.

"What's she doing back, then?"

"Death Eaters attacked her home. Remember that night in Cokeworth? That's where she's from. Lost her parents because of them."

"Fuck," Sirius commented, and Remus looked alarmed.

"Yeah. She came out of hiding because of that. Dumbledore offered her the job, and now she's back to fight."

"Merlin," said Remus. He paused, deciding how to say his next words, and if he even should. "She was friends with Snape, you know."

" _Snivellus_?" Sirius asked incredulously. " _Evans_ was friends with Snivellus? Bloody hell!"

"Can't imagine they're still friends now," James remarked darkly. "She's not stupid. She had to know he was there that night."

The three men fell silent as they remembered the attack in Cokeworth. There was so much destruction that had been caused before they arrived to defend the Muggles, and there were many familiar faces on the opposing side. It wasn't uncommon to recognize Voldemort's supporters, but it only just hit James what it meant that Snape was one of them on that particular night.

"Dorcas knew her in school," Sirius said, breaking their reveries. "She might know something, like how Evans could ever have been friends with Snape. I'll go visit her tomorrow and find out what she knows."

James nodded resolutely. He wanted to get to the bottom of this, if only to help Lily recover from her parent's deaths. From what he saw, she wasn't coping in a healthy way, and he couldn't have her Healing him if she wasn't even taking care of herself.


	2. Part II

**A/N:** hello again, friends! gonna put this one up before the upcoming and stressful week. don't worry though, bc i'll be on break soon and i'll make sure to write plenty. anyways, enjoy

* * *

Chaperoning Hogsmeade trips was a new policy at Hogwarts. Dumbledore and McGonagall put it into place at the beginning of term to ensure the safety of the students. Lily was scheduled to go for this trip, so Saturday morning found her trudging in the chilly air with the majority of the student body. She ordered a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, found an empty table, and resigned to sit there for the day. She had packed a book to keep the boredom away.

She had just gotten into her novel when a familiar voice cauht her attention. "Hello again, Lily." It was Benjy, walking over with a large smile on his face.

"Benjy! What are you doing here?"

Her former Potions partner joined her, pulling up a chair to her table. He looked around to check if anyone was possibly listening in, and replied, "Under cover."

She nodded in understanding. "I'm chaperoning the Hogsmeade trip," she told him.

"Sounds terribly boring."

"It is," she laughed, motioning to her book. "Though it needs to be done."

"Would you care for another drink?" asked Benjy, already catching the bartender's eye and signaling for more.

"Oh, thank you," Lily said.

"Sure. So, Lily, how've you been? I'm sorry I had to miss your visit with Dor."

"Oh, that's okay. You had good reason," she said. "I've been well. It's like I never left, you know?"

"Reliving your glory days of Potions, I'm sure." He looked at her for a moment before continuing. "You were the only reason I passed that class, Evans."

She laughed and shook her head. "You weren't bad, Ben, just impatient. But teaching is different than being a student. And I help out Pomfrey a lot."

"Oh yeah, I heard you patched Potter up," Benjy replied.

Lily nodded and smiled. "I'm really enjoying it."

"That's good. I didn't know if I'd ever see you again, you know. And then I overhear Dumbledore talking about you taking the post, and how he was sure you'd join, and I don't think I've ever been more excited."

He had a look on his face as he fell silent, and Lily didn't know what to say. She was touched that he cared that much for her, but she didn't know what that meant.

She was saved from having to reply when he pushed his chair back with a sigh. "I've spent enough time away from my post. It was great to see you, Lily. We should do this again." He bent a placed a kiss on her cheek. "See you, Lils."

She smiled as he walked to the other side of the pub, losing him in the crowd standing by the bar.

All students were expected to be back at the school soon, so Lily left the Three Broomsticks and headed towards the looming castle. She was almost through the main doors when she heard a shout to her left. She immediately backtracked and spotted a few black cloaks. Two older students, it looked like, were facing the outer wall of the castle. When one of them shifted, she could see a younger student cowering in between them.

"What is going on?" she asked, startling the students with her harsh tone.

One of the older boys sneered and said, "Nothing that concerns you, _professor._ " He looked at his partner and snickered.

But Lily's eyes were on the younger boy, the one obviously frightened. Then she eyed the Houses of the older two, and sighed. "Twenty points from Slytherin for antagonizing other students." The one boy's sneer turned angrier and less mocking as she stepped forward to get the younger child away from harm.

His trembling hand grabbed onto her arm and she shielded him from the others as they made their way inside. "What did they say to you?" Lily asked kindly.

"T-They called me names. M-Mudblood. And said I deserved worse."

"Did they harm you?" She was beginning to think she should have taken more points, and maybe assigned detentions.

"No, professor. You got there early."

"Good. Is this the first time they've threated you?"

"No, professor."

She stopped and faced the boy. "What's your name?"

"William Smith," replied the boy.

"Well, William, I'm going to tell you something. I was called those same names when I was here as a student." He looked up at her with wide eyes and she smiled softly. "Don't let them get to you. Be better, stronger, and smarter."

He nodded with fervor, spirits raised. Lily walked with him to his common room, and as soon as he disappeared behind the barrels, Lily let out a long sigh.

It wasn't that she had forgotten the situation in the Wizarding world. No, she was finally taking an active stance in the war, and she'd be blind if she didn't see the cruelty of Voldemort's supporters. But seeing the effect on young children, like William, made it all the more real.

* * *

James was frustrated. Allowing Aurors to use the Unforgivables was a terrible idea, in his opinion, and not only because they were—well, unforgivable—but because it turned some of the worse men into beasts.

James didn't kill if he could avoid it. But as soon as word got out of what Aurors were now allowed to do, the Death Eaters' attacks were more devastating and gruesome than ever. They fought back with just as many, if not more, previously-illegal curses. Though the Death Eaters used them long before Aurors were allowed to, James reminded himself.

Still. He wasn't happy with his job anymore. What did it say about him, if he was cursing the opposing side just as much as they were cursing him? It didn't make him any better than them, in his opinion.

Not to mention how aggressive Crouch had become. The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was just as power-hungry as Voldemort, it seemed.

And all that added up to James wanting to quit his job as Auror. The way he saw it, he could be more helpful to the Order with fully free days. And it wasn't as if he needed a job anyways, at least not for the salary.

He brought this up to Sirius one afternoon on his day off.

"Well you know _I_ would support you quitting," his friend said without a moment's thought.

"Yes, but that's because you've never worked a day in your life, Padfoot," Remus cut in.

"Shut it, Moony. If James wants to quit, he should. And he's right. The Ministry isn't doing so well under pressure, so it's better if he gets out now, before it's too late."

Remus hummed in thought, then said, "I think you should talk to Dumbledore first. Make sure there will be missions available for you, should you quit the Auror office. You know you'd go mental without anything to do."

James snorted in agreement and resolved to owl the Hogwarts Headmaster to set up a meeting as soon as possible.

Dumbledore replied the same day James sent the letter, telling him when to stop by his office. So the next morning, James took off for Hogwarts.

"What is it you wanted to talk about, James?" Dumbledore asked after greeting his guest.

"I want to quit the Auror office."

If Dumbledore was surprised, he didn't show it. His expression remained pleasantly polite, though he quietly surveyed James for a long moment before speaking again. "And why is that?" the Headmaster asked, though James had a feeling he already knew the answer.

"Well, I don't like how Crouch is changing things…" he trailed off, unsure how to say what he meant.

"You mean allowing Unforgivables."

"Yes, that. I don't agree with that. And I thought with my training I'd be more useful to the Order this way, free to help whenever it's needed." James hoped Dumbledore would agree with him. Leaving the Ministry seemed like a better idea every time he thought about it.

"You training will no doubt be useful, yes. But you shouldn't quit your job just to be available for more missions, James."

James was disappointed. It didn't sound like Dumbledore was on board. He was ruffling his hair in anxiety when an idea hit. "But, sir, I could keep an eye on the pureblood community, too. You know my mum and the parties she throws. I could go to them, and maybe watch for supporters of Voldemort. Keep my eyes and ears open and all that."

Dumbledore seemed to consider the idea, and his eyes gained that twinkle he was known for. "You've really thought this through, Mr. Potter. I'm glad you came to me about this, as well, though it wouldn't be my place to stop you from leaving the Ministry." He folded his hands on the table. "Be prepared for more missions, though I think watching the pureblood community is also a good idea. As a matter of fact, your mother told me she was hosting a Christmas gala in a few weeks. That would be a good place to start."

James had also been told about his mum's upcoming party, though no doubt for different reasons than Dumbledore. His mother had been pushing him to find a girlfriend, because she believed he was losing opportunities as he grew older. And if there was one thing about his mother that annoyed him, it was how she placed at least a little stock in the old Wizarding society's standards.

He thought about this as he left Dumbledore's office. He meandered through the corridors at a stroll, lost in his head, until he turned a corner and nearly ran into Lily Evans.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, jumping back.

"Er, hello," James said, steadying himself. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

"No, it's my fault. I'm in such a hurry." She looked it, too. Her hair was in mild disarray, and she seemed to be breathing a bit hard, as if she had been running. And yet, James noticed, she was still pretty. The flush on her cheeks suited her.

She smiled and made to leave, but James caught her arm. "Wait, Evans," he began, acting on impulse as an idea played out in his head. "My mum's having a Christmas party, and I need to bring someone. Would you want to come with me?"

She looked stunned. Tilting her head as she looked at him, she furrowed her brow and considered her answer. Finding no reason against it, she replied, "Sure."

James grinned. "Great. I'll owl you the details later. Thanks, Evans."

She nodded, smiling again, and he watched her go.

* * *

Lily was early for the meeting, but that meant she got a good chair, so she wasn't bothered. She sat quietly while the other Order members trickled in. One by one, the room filled up, hushing when Dumbledore stood.

"Just a few things to talk about tonight. First, Gideon."

One of the Prewett twins stood and spoke their report of their current mission, tracking suspected Death Eaters and their relations with Gringotts. Lily thought their mission was an interesting one, because it meant they had to work with goblins. It also meant many things could happen; they could find Dark artefacts in the vaults, or track large deposits, and the like.

It was safe to say Lily was a bit jealous. Though, she reminded herself, they were in much more danger than she was at Hogwarts.

"Thank you, Gideon. And now, James Potter has an announcement."

Potter stood up as he was introduced and addressed the room. "First of all, you should know I've left the Ministry."

Lily heard several gasps in the crowd, and she had to admit she was surprised, too. James seemed to be the perfect Auror, very headstrong and courageous, while also talented and quick on his feet. He didn't seem like the type to quit, either, so something must have happened to cause such a decision.

James continued, "But what I really wanted to tell you all about was my mother's Christmas ball. You all know my mum, and how she is." He had a wry smile on his face and most people seemed to understand what he meant, though Lily didn't. "But I've asked her to invite all pureblood families, and not just those in our circles." He paused to let this sink in, and Lily realized what he meant. There would, more than likely, be Death Eaters or their supporters present. "So I'm inviting you all, as well. We'll need to keep our eyes and ears open. See what we can learn."

"Just get them smashed," Sirius Black muttered, but it carried. Lily tried to hold in her laugh, but she failed.

Dumbledore chuckled as well and said, "Yes, that is the general idea."

"I'll send out your official invitations later, then. Oh, and you're allowed to take dates, if you want. Just be alert." James sat back down as he finished his announcement.

Lily suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. She didn't know what she was getting into when she agreed to go. The news that suspected Death Eaters would be there didn't sit well with her. She was only just feeling comfortable in the magical world after being gone for so long, and her first test was going to be hard.

"Thank you, James," Dumbledore said. "So I expect all of you to be there. Alastor, Edgar, and Caradoc will be on watch at all times. The rest of you play your parts in society, and be prepared.

* * *

James was fixing the collar of his dress robes in the mirror when Sirius walked in.

"You still haven't told me who you're taking," he said.

James rolled his eyes but didn't respond.

"C'mon, Prongs. I know your mum. She wouldn't let you walk through the doors without a girl on your arm." Sirius crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway. "So? Who did you ask?"

"I don't see why it's such a big deal, Padfoot." Finally satisfied with his appearance, James turned and faced his friend.

"Because you haven't had a proper date in _ages._ "

"Yeah, well, I had a job. I was too busy." He passed by Sirius and left his old bedroom, heading downstairs where the party was being held.

Sirius scoffed and pressed on, turning to follow James down the corridor. "Just tell me now, so I don't make a scene when I see her—whoever she is."

James sighed. "It's Evans."

"Lily Evans?" Sirius asked. James nodded. "Merlin. She's fit."

"Yes, I distinctly remember you saying so when she joined the Order."

"You lucky bugger."

James rolled his eyes again. "She's not just looks, mate. I asked her because I know she'll be good company. Merlin knows I'll need a distraction that's not alcohol if I plan to survive the night."

"So is she meeting you here?"

"Yes. And since you were so keen to know my date, who's yours?"

"Dor, of course." Sirius shrugged, and James realized he should have guessed that. While Sirius and Dorcas were not remotely romantic, they got along amazingly well. It made sense that Sirius would want her to accompany him on a night like this.

* * *

Lily had never seen a house so big. In fact, she didn't even know if she could call it a house.

James had sent her the official invitation the week before, and included a letter that explained what she was getting into. The invitation would get her through the gates and various enchantments surrounding his parents' home, he wrote, and the dress code was formal.

Having red hair meant the color red was immediately out of the picture. But she knew she looked good in green, so as soon as she got his letter, Lily went shopping for a new set of green dress robes. All of her old robes either didn't fit or were no longer in style. And Lily knew she had to look her best at this event.

She successfully made it through the gates, just as James said, and walked to the main doors. There were so many unfamiliar faces around her as she entered the house, and she was beginning to feel overwhelmed. But Potter found her just seconds later.

"Lily!" he greeted. "Glad you could make it."

"Thanks for the invitation," she replied.

He took her cloak and placed it on a couch against the wall, before taking her arm and leading her into what looked like a ballroom.

"Right. So this is my parents' house," James said, fishing for a conversation.

"Could you even call this a house?" Lily asked. "Isn't a little… big?"

James laughed. "Well, technically it's called Potter Manor."

"Manor. Of course."

James pretended to be offended, but he was too pleased with how easy conversation was with Lily to be convincing. "No need to be rude. Need I remind you that you're a guest in my _house_?"

Lily didn't miss his emphasis on the last word. She laughed at that, when an older couple walked up to James.

"James, dear, you look so handsome," said the woman.

"Thanks, mum," James replied, kissing her cheek. "You look wonderful. House looks great, too."

Lily figured that if the woman was James' mother, then the man next to her must be his father. James certainly shared characteristics with Mr. and Mrs. Potter, though they were significantly older than she would have expected.

"And who is this?" Mr. Potter asked.

James smiled at Lily and introduced her. "This is Lily Evans. She's the new Potions professor at Hogwarts. Just joined the Order, too," he said, his voice significantly quieter for the last part.

"Horace left his post?" Mrs. Potter asked, stunned. "Why, I had no idea!"

"Oh, no, Mrs. Potter. He's just taking time off. I'm filling in for the year," Lily hastily explained.

"I see," the older woman replied. "Well, it's wonderful to meet you. You're brave to agree to come with James. Merlin knows he's a handful."

"It's wonderful to meet you, too, Mrs. Potter. And you, Mr. Potter," Lily said, using her best manners. She couldn't afford to mess up, and this was already more than she had bargained for.

Mr. Potter nodded and smiled at her, though he didn't say anything, and James led her away before they could continue any conversation.

"Dad doesn't say much," he said, though it was unnecessary. Lily had gathered as much. "And mum was sure to embarrass me if stayed there any longer."

Lily laughed again.

"So. Care for a drink? Or would you like to dance?"

"Oh, I'm not really one for dancing," Lily replied.

"Dancing it is, then," James replied with a smirk, his eyes glinting.

Lily spluttered, but didn't resist as he pulled her along. She let him lead, as it was clear he knew more than she. They meandered around the designated dance floor, pausing every once in a while for important-looking men to greet James. She realized then just why the Order members were told to attend. She learned so much about the underlying politics of the war just by listening to James' conversations. She was able to pick out the more likely or Voldemort's supporters more easily as the night went on.

"I did not like him," she said to James as they exited yet another conversation with an upper-class Ministry official.

"That was Augustus Rookwood. He's an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries."

Lily was alarmed to hear that, and it showed in her expression.

"Yeah. I don't like him either. He gives me the creeps. Plus he's suspected of passing Voldemort information, though don't go spreading it around. We don't want him to find out we're watching him. Technically, I'm not even supposed to know." James grinned as he said that, and Lily mirrored it.

"But you do anyways."

"Of course. Who do you think I am?"

He looked affronted, but only teasingly so, and Lily's grin only widened. He made good company, she decided. She could get used to this.

James was leading her to a table to grab a drink when they ran into their first spot of real trouble.

"What do we have here?" said an unfriendly voice.

James' hand, which was in the middle of lifting his cup to take a drink, stilled. He turned to face the newcomer, but his expression was stone. "Avery."

"Potter and a Mudblood. How… cute."

Lily recognized Avery, though she wished she didn't. He had been friends with Severus, and had attacked her housemate Mary with his mate Mulciber. He was up to no good, of that she was certain.

"Watch what you say, Avery," James said. "Remember where you are." His words were clearly threats, but you wouldn't be able to tell by his tone or expression. Lily was impressed; James wasn't a brilliant Auror for nothing, she realized.

Avery sneered, and replied, "I just wanted a drink, Potter. I apologize." He then leaned forward and snatched a glass from the table. He brushed Lily's shoulder as he retracted his arm, and she froze. His sneer morphed into a smirk as he straightened, though he missed James' eyes flash. "Smashing party, Potter. Tell you mother I appreciate the invitation. What a _lovely_ woman, that one."

This time, James froze. Lily could feel him at her side, so she blindly grabbed his hand and squeezed it, hoping to prevent any rash actions.

Avery checked his watch disinterestedly. "Well, this has been fun, but I'd better move on. Make my rounds and all. You know how it is, I'm sure." He directed his last statement at James. Judging by his last sneer towards Lily, he meant to convey that she would have no idea what he meant.

But Lily could care less. She was just glad he was leaving.

James took a deep breath, before squeezing her hand and letting go. "That bastard."

Lily hummed in agreement. "That was close, too. Now I see why so many of us had to come."


	3. Part III

**A/N:** Hi again. Sorry for the wait. I've finally got a working laptop, and a brand new initiative to write this story. Enjoy!

* * *

Without tiresome, pureblood societal functions or his old day job, James was bored. He moaned about this to Sirius, sprawled on the couch, as his friend gathered his things.

"Mate, go complain to Moony. I've got to go."

"But he's on Hogsmeade duty," James whined.

"Since when has that stopped us? Besides, it's the weekend. You may even see Evans while you're there."

That thought brightened his mood considerably, though Sirius almost laughed at him for it. He and Lily had met with each other a few times since the Christmas party, and they got along really well. He looked forward to being in her company, which was half of the reason James decided to get his arse off the couch and head to Hogsmeade. Moony was the other half, of course. They were best friends, after all.

James Apparated into a narrow side street and made his way to the Three Broomsticks, where he knew Remus would be. He spotted his sandy-haired friend sitting alone at a table in the middle of the pub.

"Great table, Moony," James said as he took a seat. "Why couldn't you get these for us when we were in school?"

Remus, who was unfazed by James' sudden appearance, replied, "Because we were a bunch of stupid schoolboys. No one in their right minds would give the good ones up to us."

"Good point."

Remus grinned. "How're things?"

"Boring, Moony. Things are really boring." The whine was back in James' voice, and it caused Remus to laugh.

"Is that why you came to visit me, then? You had nothing else to do?"

"Of course not!" James exclaimed. "You're the most important person to me, Moony, you know that!"

"Right," Remus snorted. His expression turned somber after a moment. "Did you hear about Doc?" His voice was considerably quieter than it was before, but James could still hear it over the chatter in the pub.

James' face took on an equally dark look as he thought about old Caradoc Dearborn. "Yeah. Do you think we'll find him?"

"I doubt it," Remus replied, disliking the idea but being realistic all the same. "Sorry, mate. I know he was your cousin."

"Distant cousin. Very distant," James corrected, though their exact relation didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. The Order had lost one of their men, with no body accounted for, and nothing could change that.

"Let's get a drink."

"Splendid idea."

Three glasses of firewhisky and two pints of butterbeer later, the two men spotted Lily Evans entering the pub.

"Lily!" James yelled, waving his arm to catch her attention.

She spotted him and smiled, though it became more of a smirk as she noticed the unruffled state he was in. "Having a good afternoon?" she asked.

"Doc's missing. Gone without a trace," James replied, abrupt and sullen.

Her bright smile fell immediately. "I heard," she said.

"Did you know him?"

She nodded. "Met him at Frank and Alice's wedding. We got on really well. He was brilliant at Potions…"

James watched as her voice trailed off and her shoulders slumped. "I'm gonna get you a drink."

"Please," she said.

He turned to Remus. "Moony, get her a drink."

"But you just—"

"No buts, Moony. You're on duty so you're the responsible one at the mo'. Go get Lily a drink."

"Please," she repeated, though this time it was directed at Remus, and was accompanied by doe eyes.

He acquiesced much more quickly after that, which James found unfair, and soon Lily was just as flushed as he was. Remus had moved tables to resume his post for the Order, but James and Lily had stayed to talk.

"You know, Lily," James said, trying to catch her attention. "Mum's party was fun."

"If you're not including the possible Death Eaters, then I agree," she replied.

He nodded vigorously, hair flopping in a way that had Lily fighting a grin. "Yeah. Not counting them." He placed his glass down carefully on the table. "Wanna 'pologize for that, though. They're bastards. Don't listen to 'em."

"I know that."

"Still. They're all wrong." He shook his head and scowled at his drink. "You know what's shite?"

"What?" She tilted her head as she asked this, and James found it exceptionally cute.

"The whole world."

"Is it?"

He hummed and nodded his head. "I mean… We knew half the bloody Death Eaters back in school! Had to deal with them then, and it's even worse now. That's shite." Lily didn't respond, but she didn't need to, because James' expression suddenly changed from furrowed in frustration to lit up in curiosity. "Speaking of school," he said, mildly slurring the words but gaining a glint in his eye, "why don't I 'member you? Only, Remus says you were Gryffindor, but I didn't recognize you at your first meeting."

Lily smiled and shook her head fondly. "You were too caught up in mischief, Potter."

"But you're friends with Dor!"

"She was my bloody roommate," Lily laughed. "Of course we were friends. And still are."

James rubbed his forehead, as if trying to force memories of her to surface.

"I stayed out of trouble, that's all," she said. "Though I can't say the same for you."

He laughed then. Though still frustrated that he couldn't remember her in school, he relented. "I was Head Boy, though," he replied.

"Yes, I remember."

"I'm sure you were Head Girl." He was smirking, and most certainly right.

"I was."

"Shame we weren't the same year. Could've shared a dorm." He didn't realize what he said until the words were already spoken. He froze slightly, unsure how she'd take it, and if she'd catch any insinuations.

Luckily, she laughed. "Not sure I would've enjoyed that. I know what having private rooms meant. Don't think I'd have liked dealing with you and your line of girls."

He grinned, but switched topics. "How's your job, then? Students treating you well?"

She shrugged and looked down at her hands. "S'good as can be expected, given that we're at war. Kinda hard to control some students when they think you're lower than dirt."

James blinked. He hadn't realized it was bad enough to bother Lily, of all people, so much. Well, he did know it was bad, but he figured that wouldn't extend to the effectiveness of Hogwarts' teachers.

Lily didn't say anything more for a few moments. She hadn't meant to sound so resentful, because she wasn't—at least, not completely. She remembered clearly from her own days as a student just how narrow-minded and condescending certain members of wizarding society could be. Even living as a Muggle for a few years couldn't change that fact, she knew, and usually she was able to accept it.

"I think I've had enough to drink," she said, in hopes of changing the topic.

James detected a hint of color in her cheeks and took the bait. He could tell she was mildly embarrassed by her outburst, and he didn't want to stop talking to her just yet. So he replied, "Right, but it's only just gotten dark out. Say, do you have plans for dinner?"

Lily shook her head. "The students don't return for another few days, so I've got no duties up at the school."

He grinned. "Great. I've got the lads coming for dinner tonight. Remus, Sirius, and Peter, I mean. Dor will probably stop by, too. You should come." It didn't take much for her to agree, and though he didn't show it, he was thrilled. "Brilliant. Remus'll be done in a bit. Let's stick around 'til then, and head back with him."

* * *

The students came back to Hogwarts in a steady rush of noise. Lily had been informed that some had not returned, due to the notion that they may not be safe so far away from home. Such an idea was ridiculous, in her opinion, because there was hardly a safer place than Hogwarts, but she could do nothing about it.

She continued brewing potions for the Hospital Wing, as well as helping Poppy whenever she could. It was becoming more common to have to treat Order members at the school, as they were getting injured more frequently while out on missions. The Death Eaters were growing in rank and violence, it seemed.

On one of the few shifts where Poppy needed Lily to cover for her, and not simply help the older Healer out, they had a special case to handle.

Remus walked in the Wing, just minutes after Lily had arrived to take over for the day. When he saw her, he looked surprised, which she understood. She immediately took note of his fresh cuts and bruises, and ushered him onto a nearby cot.

Remus stuttered his explanations until she placed a hand on his arm and said, "I know what to do, Remus."

Again, his expression was one of shock, though this time it was tinged with something else—fear, apprehension? He tried to explain anyways. "I—I'm a—"

"Werewolf, yes, I know," said Lily. "Dumbledore told me when I joined the Order. Pomfrey did too, in case you ever came in when she wasn't around."

"Right," Remus replied weakly.

She returned her attention to his injuries. "I assure you, I know what to do. I did as much research as I could in case this happened." She wasn't lying. Werewolf injuries were harder to heal than other magical injuries, even when inflicted on other werewolves—or in Remus' case, on oneself. Simple Healing spells wouldn't do the job unless used multiple times. So Lily had read some books on Healing and on magical creatures to make sure she was prepared to help him, should he need it.

She was glad she did.

"This isn't too bad, actually. I was expecting much worse," she commented, as she cleaned up some wounds that appeared to have dried mud as well as blood. She was focused solely on closing the cuts once they were clean, when the door slammed open and Remus' usual group entered the Wing.

Both Lily and Remus looked up at the sound of their entrance, to see James, Sirius, and Peter frozen in place. From their expressions, Lily gathered that they knew of Remus' condition, but hadn't known that she knew.

James recovered from the sight of her first. He grinned like he always did, but it looked slightly forced. "Lily! Wasn't expecting you."

"She knows," Remus said, clearly wanting to get that out of the way.

"Figured as much," Sirius said, fixing Lily with a hard stare. He shot a quick glance at Remus as he said, "Didn't think you'd be able to come up with a good excuse if you were expecting her as little as we were."

Lily didn't like the look on Sirius' face. She felt as if she had to defend herself. "Both Albus and Poppy told me about his condition. I don't plan on spreading it around, in case you were worried."

James looked relieved. "We weren't," he assured her, though she didn't entirely believe him. They were concerned for their best friend, and she understood that.

But Sirius didn't back down so quickly. "There's a difference between not telling and not caring. I won't have you treating him differently just because he isn't entirely human every day of—"

Remus cut in, "Really, Padfoot, you don't need to—"

He fell silent when Lily help a hand up. "Need I remind you that I'm a Muggleborn?" she asked, meeting Sirius' steely gaze with one of her own. "I'm the last person you need to worry about discriminating against your friend because of something he can't control. I'm sure he didn't ask to be a werewolf, to be bitten, so I'll do my best to keep his pain to a minimum. Also, I don't intend to treat him any differently than I do my other friends. And you'll note I've known for ages and haven't said anything about it. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't make assumptions about me in the future."

The Wing was very quiet for a short period after her little speech. In that time, Lily fretted that maybe she had been a bit too rude, jumping down Sirius' throat just as he had done to her. But she needn't have worried, because he broke out in a grin to rival James' and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Right, then," he said. "You're not half bad, Lily Evans. I think we'll keep you."

Peter muttered something to James while nudging him in the side, and James caught Lily's eye. He winked at her, and she knew she said the right thing after all.

Cheeks pink from both embarrassment and accomplishment, she returned to her task of fixing Remus. "You know, Remus, I meant what I said earlier. I was expecting you to be in much worse condition. How did you avoid attacking yourself so much?"

Because her back was to most of the room's occupants, she missed the looks that passed between Remus' three friends.

"Uh, just luck, I guess," he replied, and she didn't bring it up again.

* * *

James was, once again, sprawled on the couch of the flat Sirius and Remus shared, though for once he wasn't lamenting his boredom. He was trying to figure out the best excuse to see Lily again.

"Just make another appointment with Dumbledore, Prongs," Peter suggested. "Stop by to see her while you're there."

"But what would I say? I've no reason to see him," James groaned.

"You could always do what a normal bloke would do when he fancied a girl," Remus said, growing tired already. When James fancied someone, he really fixated on them. "Just owl her and ask when she's free. Go for drinks in Hogsmeade one weekend, or something."

His suggestion reminded James of the last time he'd had drinks with Lily. It was right after Christmas, she was flushed from more than just the cold, and her eyes were especially bright… "Right," he said. "I'll do that."

"Do what?" Sirius asked. He Apparated in, having just finished his delivery for the Order, and caught the tail end of the conversation.

"Prongs is gonna ask Evans out," said Peter.

Sirius grinned. "'Bout time," he said.

James frowned. "I'm not asking her out. Just seeing if she's free for drinks."

"But it'll just be the two of you. That's a date," Peter pointed out.

Sirius clapped him on the back and said, "Relax, Prongs. We know you fancy her. No need to pretend."

James wouldn't go as far as saying he fancied her, though. Sure, he thought she was funny and pretty and exceptionally smart. He admired how capable and independent she was. And, again, she really _was_ pretty.

Blast. So he did fancy her. Only, he didn't know her that well. Sure, they'd talked, but he still felt like there was much more to her. But that, he realized, was the point of sending her that owl—to give him the chance to get to know her better.

Sirius pulled him from his thoughts when he announced, "I've talked to Dor."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Is that supposed to shock us?"

"You didn't let me finish, Moony," Sirius whined. "We talked about Evans and Snape." That shut them up. "Yeah. So we know they were friends for a while during school, but Dor told me they knew each other before Hogwarts."

"Bloody hell," Peter remarked.

"Right you are, Pete. Said they lived near each other and were friends as kids. He was the first to tell her she was a witch. And the age difference didn't do much—at least not until she went to school, too. I imagine once she saw him around Hogwarts she didn't like that his friends hated her for no reason." Sirius sneered. "But anyways, Dor said they hung out over the summer. You remember how bloody good he was in Potions? Well apparently he taught her his tricks. She was brilliant anyways, but it sure helped. Evans was old Sluggy's absolute favorite."

James let out a chuckle at that. Slughorn probably _loved_ her, a spirited little Muggleborn with an affinity for his favorite subject. What a perfect novelty to add to his collection.

"So they were only friends at home?" Remus asked.

Sirius nodded. "Dor said they hung out at school for a little while, but that Snape's lot didn't like it. So I guess, yeah, it was just over the summer. But then you remember that attack on Mary? Dor said that was the last straw for Lily. She already didn't like who he hung around, and calling her a Mudblood in public when she confronted him about Mary sure didn't help." He let out a long breath. "That's the gist of it. They were friends, he was a git, and she ended it."

Peter whistled. After a long moment where the four of them sat in silence, letting Sirius' information sink in, he asked, "And Evans lived in Cokeworth, right?"

"Right," James replied, realizing at once what Peter meant. "So Snape did, too. And her parents were killed in the attack. And he was there! That fucker! I'll bet he knew Lily's parents, if they were such good friends." He was suddenly enraged. "I swear to Merlin, if I ever get my hands on him, that'll be it."

"Settle down, mate," Remus said, looking slightly amused.

James huffed. "It's wrong, Moony. It's completely fucked up, what he's done."

Sirius sat back in his seat, satisfied that his story had the appropriate effect. "The world's fucked up, Prongs. Why d'you think we're in this war?"

* * *

It was an especially cold day, Lily noticed. Having been inside all day, grading essays, she hadn't anticipated the weather. Until she received orders for a minor Order mission, that is. Her task was to meet an ally in Muggle London and retrieve a parcel.

But, again, it was much colder than she'd expected. She couldn't do anything about it, either, because she was in the Muggle world. She couldn't risk someone seeing her cast a Warming Charm, nor could she Apparate closer to her destination. Using magic could give away the ally's location. There were Death Eaters in the Ministry, and she wasn't stupid. She wouldn't risk anything.

So she dealt with the frigid air. Drawing her thin cloak more tightly around her body, Lily picked up her pace. As much as she enjoyed going on missions, for they made her feel useful, she would like to be back in her rooms at Hogwarts. There was a roaring fire waiting for her.

She reached the apartment building in record time. She pressed the third button in the row, for flat 103, to signal the occupant that they had a guest. Upon the sound of the main door unlocking, Lily entered the building, relieved to be out of the cold. She walked over to the correct door and knocked.

She heard a voice before the door ever opened, but she was expecting it. "State your business."

Following protocol, Lily replied, "I've come to tend to the cats."

The door to 103 opened and Lily was greeted by a smiling Mrs. Figg. "Ah, Lily, good to see you again."

"You too, Arabella," she replied, stepping inside the flat. It looked the same as the last time she had seen it, which was a few months before, though it seemed Mrs. Figg had acquired another cat.

"Sit down, dear, and I'll go get the package."

Lily did so, idly scratching behind the ears of a gray kitten. When Arabella returned, she was carrying a large, stuffed envelope. It contained information from her husband, who was in Europe on Order business. He was gaining allies on the continent, should the Order ever need outside help, and he sent monthly reports for Dumbledore.

"Here you go, dear," Arabella said, holding out the parcel. Lily stood and accepted it. "Won't you stay for some tea?"

Lily shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't. I must get back to the school." She slipped the envelope under her arm and smiled. "Thank you for the offer, though. Maybe another time."

"Silly me. Of course you need to get back. They might need you in the Wing." Mrs. Figg walked her to the door. "Goodbye, dear. Be safe."

She waved as she left the flat. Arabella was right, of course. There was a mission tonight, and it was potentially dangerous. She had to be at the school, available as backup either in the field or in the Wing, just in case. So with the parcel in hand, Lily started on her way back to Hogwarts.

* * *

She was back in her quarters, brewing a batch of Blood-Replenishing Potions. The mission had started half an hour ago, and she wanted to be prepared for anything. She had her Portkey resting on the table, in clear view, just in case she was needed in the field. She also took a vial of Pepperup, to ensure she was alert. Whether she was called to be backup or just to help Heal those who were injured, she needed to be energized and aware.

She sat to work on some Burn-healing paste while the Blood-Replenishing Potion was simmering. She packed the orange paste into a bottle and added it to her bag of Healing supplies. The bag already contained multiple bottles of Pepperup and Essence of Dittany, as well as plenty of bandages. Lily knew Poppy had plenty of Pain Relief and Dreamless Sleep, so she hoped they were well stocked.

Just as she was putting a stopper in a vial of her finished Blood-Replenishing Potion, Lily's Portkey glowed. She cursed, rushing to pour all of the remaining potion into vials so it wouldn't go to waste. She had to grab the Portkey soon, because it meant she was needed as backup.

"This can't be good," Lily muttered to herself, grabbing her wand and summoning her Order patch. She sealed it to her sleeve, unwilling to be hit by friendly fire just because she didn't identify her allegiance. Once she was ready, she picked up the hairband that acted as her Portkey and tapped it with her wand. In no time at all, she felt the pull in her stomach. She was heading to battle, and she didn't know what to expect when she arrived.


	4. Part IV

**A/N:** I know this is the shortest one so far, but this was the best place to stop. But I've got plenty more in the works. Hope you enjoy this!

* * *

The ground was sudden and firm under her feet as Lily arrived for battle. She had tried to prepare herself for a fight during the little travel time she had, but her efforts weren't good enough. Sure, Lily dueled often, but only ever against other Order members to keep her skills up to par. She spent her time on minor assignments, like a rendezvous with an informant, exchanging packages, or keeping an ear out in Hogsmeade's pubs. She took part in low-risk missions because she was, first and foremost, a teacher.

So it was with very little experience and quite a lot of nerve that Lily stepped out of the clumps of trees she had landed in. She immediately spotted a familiar face and rushed to help. Gideon Prewett was outnumbered three to one, and though he was a skilled dueler, she knew he wouldn't last in that situation. Lily jumped in at his side, aiming a stunner at one of the Death Eaters he was fighting. It was blocked, but at least Gideon knew he had been joined by someone on his side.

Curses flew back and forth, and Lily did her best to either block or dodge them. She and Gideon were almost back to back, shouting spells to take down their enemies.

" _Stupefy!"_ Lily cried, but again her spell was blocked. But she did the same to the next curse that came her way, and then proceeded to send one right back. She let out a sound of triumph as her first opponent went down, but her eyes widened as she saw two more Death Eaters run towards her. They had only just gotten the upper hand, and were outnumbered once again. "Shit! More coming, Prewett!" she shouted, hoping a warning would help. Lily understood why she was called for backup—the sheer amount of Death Eaters in the area called for many more people than she knew had actually been sent on the mission in the first place.

Lily and Gideon blocked and shot, blocked and shot. Her curses were hitting their mark more often than not, but she was steadily gaining injuries as a result. More offense meant less time for defense, and soon her arms sported several cuts. Her pants stuck to her leg with blood from a wound she didn't remember getting, but she let it be, focusing solely on taking down her opponents. From the sound of it, Gideon had come out on top, and he was free to help her.

A sharp, _"Petrificus Totalus!"_ knocked the final Death Eater to the ground. Lily conjured ropes to tie all their opponents, and dug Portkeys out of her small bag so they could be transported into custody. While she didn't like to kill, she wasn't naïve. She knew if she stunned the Death Eaters and left them on the battlefield, others on their side would find them and wake them. Tying them up and sending them to a secured Order location ensured the Death Eaters were both in custody of the Light and alive to possibly give up information.

"Right," Lily said, panting. "Who else is here? What can I do?"

"This was just supposed to be a surveillance run, a check to make sure the area was still inactive. Not many people were assigned to come. Just me, Potter, Lupin, Fenwick, and McKinnon. We called for lots of backup though, so I couldn't tell you exactly who came because of that."

"Right. Let's have a look for the others, then."

* * *

They found more Order members, though she lost Gideon soon after rejoining the fight. She managed to take down a few tough opponents, sending them off to the Ministry. But while she was talented in dueling, her main purpose tonight, she knew, was to heal the other Order members and their allies. Her training in the Wing and her excellence in Potions gave her an advantage when it came to Healing on the battlefield. Plus, Dumbledore wanted to keep her as safe as possible, since she was a teacher. She ran this way and that, spying her allies resting behind trees or in shadowy corners of the large house. She bandaged their wounds, adding Dittany to the more severe, and passed around many Blood-Replenishing Potions. She tried to use as few Healing spells as possible, because those took up more energy than just applying salves and potions, and she needed to be alert.

She was kneeling beside an unconscious Order member that she vaguely recognized, when her side erupted in a searing, burning sensation. She had conjured a shield around herself to use as protection when she was otherwise occupied, but evidently the curse directed at her was much stronger than her shield could withstand.

She whirled around, wand at the ready, casting a wordless Stunner. She recognized the Death Eater as that Avery bastard from the Potter family Christmas party.

He sneered at her, saying, "How charming to see you again, Mudblood," and cast again, a purple jet of light shooting from the end of his wand. Knowing her shield would likely not block this curse either, she ducked and rolled to the side. She tried to push herself off the ground before her injured side made contact, but didn't move quickly enough. Lily cried out in pain as she blocked another hex. She couldn't spare even a second to assess the damage.

Struggling to stay on her feet, she continued the duel with Avery, though she knew from her fuzzy vision that she was losing blood, and fast. A brilliant idea hit her as she yelled hex after shield after hex. Risking another injury, Lily aimed her wand at the ceiling above her opponent and yelled, " _Bombarda_!"

The stone of the ceiling came crashing down, though because of her aim, she and the unconscious Order ally were safe from the wreckage. Avery, however, was not. The ceiling had cracked directly above him, and she could only assume he was crushed from the weight of the stone.

Recovering from the effects of what she had done, Lily rushed to the Order member's side and finished cleaning and dressing his wounds. She sent him to St. Mungo's with a Portkey, and sighed. Wiping her hands on her Muggle jeans, she looked around. There was no one in the hallway, save Avery who was under a pile of rock. She couldn't hear much going on nearby, either, so she held her wand aloft and made her way outside. She hadn't moved a few meters when the hairband on her wrist that served as her Portkey glowed.

She sighed in relief. Either the Order was retreating or they had managed to win this battle, but it was over all the same.

* * *

James was sitting on one of the many beds in the Hospital Wing. As he was not severely injured, he had been told to wait his turn. Others needed more immediate treatment, he knew, so he occupied himself by watching the activity in the room.

Though the Death Eaters took them by surprise, it was only because of the amount of them that were present. Once the Order called for backup, it was just a matter of finishing the fight. But because there were so few of them in the beginning, most of them got hurt. James was lucky, but McKinnon and Remus were not.

James was worried for his friend, but he could see Lily tending to him, and knew he was in good hands. She was relentless, she was. He could see the blood that stained her shirt, but she didn't seem to take any notice. She fixed everyone else's wounds without even looking at her own.

He knew from Frank's report that she killed Avery. His old partner had stopped to talk to him before briefing Moody, and he mentioned that she had been backed into a corner. She had found Hugh Brown and was healing him when Avery attacked her. Brown had regained some consciousness from her healing, and saw her cast a spell that cracked the ceiling and buried the Death Eater.

Hearing this, James didn't know what to think. It was obvious she didn't think about the consequences of causing the ceiling to fall, other than that it would keep her safe. Avery must have been the reason for the wound on her side, he thought, and she probably couldn't see another way out. Especially if she wanted to get Brown to safety, considering it was her job.

So all things considered, James was amazed. Lily Evans was a selfless, though slightly impulsive, wonder of a woman. And there she was now, fixing wounds that weren't her own. Dumbledore definitely did something right when he decided to bring her back to the wizarding world.

James was interrupted from his thoughts by the subject herself. Lily looked exhausted, but it seemed like he was the only patient left.

"'Lo, Potter. Where's the injury?" she asked, taking a seat next to him on the stiff mattress.

He lifted his arm to show a torn sleeve, stuck to his skin with dried blood. "Just my arm, though I think I've got a cut on my cheek, too. Can't see."

She nodded and set to work on his forearm. He winced as she pulled the fabric of his shirt from the gash on his arm, but the pain was short lived. She sealed the gash and siphoned to blood, and his arm was good as new. The she turned her attention to his face. With another flick of her wand, he felt a tingling on his cheek that he knew meant the cut was healed.

"Thanks," he said.

She smiled. "Not a problem." Lily made to stand, but winced. It seemed the pain was returning full force, now that her adrenaline from healing everyone else was ebbing.

"You deserve some rest, Evans. You lay down here, and I'll get Poppy to take care of that."

"Oh, no, I—"

"Evans. Sit. I'll be right back."

He went to Pomfrey's office, where he found the Matron putting away extra vials of Healing supplies. He brought her to Lily's bedside, and was alarmed to find her significantly paler than she was when he left.

"Oh, dear, you should've said you were hurt!" Madam Pomfrey fussed. "I'll fix you right up, but you're going to stay here for the night. You've lost too much blood!"

"Please, Poppy, can't I go back to my rooms? It's only a short walk, and you know I'll get much better rest there." Lily didn't seem to enjoy the thought of staying the night on the Hospital Wing's unforgivingly firm mattresses.

Pomfrey looked unconvinced, so James spoke up. "If it'll make you feel better, I'll walk her there. Make sure she's safe and takes her potions."

His offer seemed to do the trick, and the grateful look Lily sent his way made it even better.

"Right." The Healer grabbed a few vials, and stuffed them in his hands. "Make sure she gets three of these tonight, and another in the morning."

"Of course, Poppy. Have a good night."

He helped Lily stand as the Matron returned to her office. She leaned on him for a few seconds for support, then huffed and stood up straight, jaw set. Together they made the long walk to Lily's rooms.

"You were great tonight, you know."

Lily shrugged. "I could've done better. I mean, one curse breaks through my shield?" She shook her head. "I'm out of practice."

He frowned. "It's understandable. You've only just returned to the wizarding world, and dueling isn't something you can learn overnight."

"I shouldn't have even left this world in the first place," she muttered.

James, not sure if he should reveal just how much he knew of her troubles, remained silent. To him, it seemed like she returned home to keep herself and her family safe, although he didn't know how they remained that way for so long. If she was half as talented as she seemed, he would think Voldemort would want her taken care of as soon as possible.

Finally, he said, "What matters is that you're back now, and you're fighting. So what if you're a few years late?"

She sent him a weak smile, and he felt relief in knowing he said the right thing.

When they reached her quarters, James made sure she got settled. He waited as she changed and washed up before handing her the potions. He knew one of the vials contained Dreamless Sleep, and he was thankful for Poppy's tact. From what he understood of Lily's personality, she wouldn't take well to killing someone, no matter how evil they were. And not having broached the topic with her, he didn't yet know how she was dealing. So the Dreamless Sleep Potion would be a brief respite from her feelings, and he knew that from experience.

Once he handed her that vial, he kissed her forehead. "It'll all be okay," he said, and he hoped she would believe him.

* * *

Lily came out of her meeting with Moody with her mind reeling. She killed a man, and it was out of sheer panic and desperation. And while that made _her_ feel terrible, Moody was impressed. Because of her quick thinking, as he called it, and her perseverance in battle and in the Wing even while she was injured, Lily was going to go through training. _Real_ training, with Aurors and everything.

Apparently, Dumbledore wanted her more prepared. Moody agreed. Once she was no longer a professor, the Order wanted her to fight. So fight she would, only she needed practice.

That was where the Aurors came in. She was to meet every weekend with a professionally trained fighter, not just any Order member who could successfully teach someone how to stun. And as it was a Saturday, her lessons started right then, with no time to prepare herself. She was due immediately in an unused classroom near her rooms for her first session.

She was nervous.

As Lily approached the door, she heard talking coming from inside the room. Upon entering, Lily noticed Alice and Frank chatting. They seemed to be waiting for her, since as soon as they saw her, Frank smiled and Alice jumped up.

"There you are! We were wondering how long Moody was going to keep you." Alice gave Lily a brief hug. "Listen, Lily. Frank gets really into this sort of thing. If he's going too quickly or too hard on you, just say so and he'll lay off," she said in an undertone. And with a bright smile and a wave, she left the room.

"Right," said Frank. "I'm assuming you know what you're here for. Dumbledore thinks you'd be useful on missions, especially once you're done teaching. For the next few months, you'll be training with me and some other Aurors, in between your classes, our jobs, and Order business."

Lily, who had heard all this just minutes ago, nodded.

"Let's get started, then." Frank conjured cushioned mats and placed them on the floor around them. At Lily's bewildered expression, he said, "In case we fall." He set up protection along the walls to prevent damage. He also Transfigured some of the few desks that littered the old classroom into things that resembled mannequins. "We'll start with reviewing basic spells. Then we'll get into more realistic combat."

For the next two hours, Lily shot _Reducto_ , _Expelliarmus_ , _Petrificus Totalus_ , _Impedimenta_ , _Stupefy_ , and all the other curses she knew. When she had proved she was competent by casting them all on the mannequin, Frank started attacking. Then she had to add Shield Charms into the mix to keep from getting hit. And when she wasn't quick enough, Lily resorted to ducking and rolling to simply avoid the spells flying at her. She soon forgot that she was in the safety of Hogwarts and not in the middle of a real fight. Lily had already formed a light sheen of sweat from exertion, as Frank was very fast-paced, but she gave it her all. She knew she wanted to devote her time to the Order, especially once she left her post at Hogwarts, and it wouldn't do to completely fail in battle. It was only when he enchanted some mannequins to fight alongside him that Lily truly got tired and frustrated. But she kept at it, not even thinking of following Alice's earlier advice.

Frank called an end to their session when Lily finally got hit with a nastier curse. Lily was sporting a few small cuts from rolling along the floor or from spells that barely grazed her. By that point, it had been four against one. Granted, the mannequins were nothing on Death Eaters, but it was still a daunting thought.

Panting, Lily accepted Frank's hand and he pulled her to her feet. She brushed herself off and quickly sealed up the wound on her arm.

"You did well," Frank said with a grin. "I'm sure Dumbledore and Moody'll be glad to hear it."

She smiled. "I must say, I can tell why you're an Auror."

Frank laughed. "Yeah, well, I've been at it for about five years. I'd better be decent at dueling by now." He vanished the mats and returned the mannequins to their original states as desks. "I don't know how often Moody wants you to train, so I'll ask. You'll get an owl about it soon, I'm sure."

"Okay. Thanks for the help, Frank."


	5. Part V

"James, mate!"

James turned and saw his old partner, Frank, walking towards him. He grinned.

"Morning, Longbottom. How's the office?"

Frank grimaced. "Worse now that you're not around to cause trouble. But, mate, I've got orders from Moody to fill you in on some developments."

James didn't know what to say to that, so he remained silent, trying to force down a sudden feeling of apprehension. Said developments couldn't have anything to do with Auror business, as he no longer was one, so that meant it was Order related. And in some ways, that was worse.

Frank led him into an empty room, locking the door and setting charms into place to protect them from eavesdroppers. "Right," the Auror said. "I don't know if he's already told you, but Moody has told Evans to train for combat. He was impressed with her on that mission. We all were, to be honest. So she's going through training with Order-allied Aurors. Only, there aren't many of us. I've been handling the sessions up until now, but there are bound to be times when I can't. So Moody's next choice is you."

A thrill shot through James' body at that. He missed life as an Auror—not enough to go back, what with the new policies, but still enough to want more excitement in his life.

"She practices on weekends, in an empty classroom," Frank continued. "I'll continue to be the leading instructor, but in case I can't, you're up. Deal?"

James nodded. "Of course, mate." Frank made to leave, but James stopped him, asking, "How's she doing?"

Frank grinned. "She's brilliant.

Of course she is, James thought.

* * *

When James returned home, he found a letter waiting for him. It was from his mother, and she requested his presence at tea that afternoon. He didn't have anything else to do, so a few hours later in the day found him sitting in his mum's favorite parlor, surrounded by a number of women and feeling distinctly out of place. What seemed to be a pleasant invitation to spend time with his mum was actually a chance for her to practice her matchmaking.

Euphemia Potter had always been on his case, pushing him to find a proper woman and settle down. The tea was clearly another one of her attempts to do just that, as every woman in attendance was either a single girl his age or the mother of one. James thought it was too much, and quite a jump from her last effort, but it was too late to back out now.

"James, dear, how nice of you to drop by," said his mum when he walked in the parlor.

He gave her a customary kiss on the check and replied, "Always good to see you, mum."

"You remember Violet Brown, dear? And her mother Rose, of course. Violet was just telling us about a new broom that shall be on the market soon. Maybe you've heard something? Oh, and of course Cassandra Travers, and her mother Lucinda dropped by as well. Her father is an Auror, as I'm sure you remember, and he's just left for a mission. Isn't that right, Cassandra?"

"Oh, yes, Mrs. Potter. Father has just received a promotion, too!"

James didn't want to think of what that meant. An Auror doesn't receive promotions by disobeying laws, which meant Mr. Travers had to be following the new policies, especially regarding Unforgivables. Though from what James knew about the Travers family, he'd bet the man wasn't just complying, but agreed wholeheartedly and took advantage of his new rights.

He noticed this Cassandra Travers eyeing him while their mothers chatted about the goings-on of the Ministry. Already set on disliking her father, James tried not to wince when she began to speak. "How are you doing in the Auror office, James? Is it hard keeping fit?" she asked, laying a hand on his arm.

He refrained from flinching away from her touch. "Not hard, no. I play Quidditch on the weekends." He didn't want to advertise his leaving of the MLE. If she didn't already know, he wouldn't tell her. The fewer people in her circles who knew he didn't support the Ministry's new policies, the better.

"Oh? You're quite good at Quidditch, I hear. It's too bad I'm no good on a broom." Though James wasn't paying much attention to what she was saying, he noticed she hadn't removed her hand. Instead, Cassandra was brushing her thumb back and forth on his arm. He tried not to shudder, lest she misinterpret it as a good sign.

James was seriously regretting this visit. He searched the room, desperate to talk to someone more bearable. He made eye contact with Marlene McKinnon, who, by some stroke of luck in his favor, was in attendance, and gave her a look of desperation.

James loved his mother—really, he did. But her meddling and her penchant for all things high society didn't sit well with him. He knew she meant well, and that something like this tea was her way of showing she cared, but she would never understand exactly what James wanted.

And right now, what he wanted was to leave.

"James!" Marlene called from where she was standing, against the opposite wall. Her voice carried over the low chatter in the room, causing all heads to turn, but she ignored them. "Aren't you supposed to be meeting Sirius at the pitch?"

"The pitch?" Euphemia asked, finally drawn away from her conversation.

"They've got a round of Quidditch planned. James, the match starts so soon, and you're the best Chaser Sirius has. I'd have thought you'd be out there already!" The disapproving tone in Marlene's voice was a perfect touch, and her excuse was just what he needed. Mrs. Potter had a soft spot for Sirius, so bringing his name in the mix was a sure way to turn her opinion in his favor.

"I'm sorry, mum. I completely forgot. We've got a tournament going on this weekend. I've got to go now, or else I'll be late." Without giving her a chance to speak, he planted another quick kiss on her cheek in goodbye. "I'll drop by again soon, I promise. Thanks for the tea." On his way out, he said, "Thanks for the reminder, Marlene. See you."

He Apparated back to his flat as soon as he left the boundaries of the wards. He let out a large sigh and fell back against the couch. The Quidditch excuse was just that—an excuse—and he had nothing to do. But then he remembered his conversation with Frank, and an earlier one with Sirius, and decided to make plans with Lily.

James didn't think he'd ever known a woman worthier of his mother's approval than Lily, and that thought cheered him up. She'd be better company than what he left behind at tea, no doubt.

* * *

Despite having a demanding job as a professor, Lily managed to find time for a social life. Being the youngest professor at Hogwarts meant it was difficult to interact with people her own age while at the school, but thank Merlin for magical means of transportation. In between grading essays and planning lessons, she often used the fireplace in her personal quarters to Floo to lunch or dinner with friends. She truly, finally felt at home in the world again.

It was a crisp but sunny day that day, so she decided to get some fresh air and walk down the path to the edge of the school grounds so she could Apparate to James Potter's flat. She had been spending a lot of her free time with him and rather enjoyed his company, though she knew today's lunch would be with his friends, too.

Reaching the edge of the school's wards, Lily turned on the spot. She Apparated right to his door, and knocked.

Remus opened the door and smiled in greeting. Lily entered the flat, and he shut the door behind her. She followed him through the flat, towards the kitchen. "Took you long enough, Evans. Pete's been whining about starvation," James said.

They reached the table where the rest of the group, minus Sirius, was already seated, and Lily laughed. She took a seat and surveyed the table. "This looks delicious! No wonder you couldn't wait, Peter. Didn't know you had it in you, Potter."

"I can cook!" James said, mock-offended. At Remus' cough he grinned, a tad sheepish, and admitted, "Mum brought it over when she heard you were coming. My cooking skills aren't impressive enough, apparently."

Lily shook her head, smiling. "I'm sure it'll be delicious. Thanks for the note, by the way. I've been itching to get out of the castle."

"Going well over there?" Remus asked, spooning some food onto his plate. He held out his hand for Lily's plate to do the same.

"As far as I can tell, yes. A few of the older students have been acting up, but it's been that way all year. Nothing I can't handle." She took her plate back and began eating.

They lulled into silence while they ate. Lily found it a bit strange, since she didn't know those boys to ever be silent. Then she registered their missing fourth party.

"Where's Sirius?"

"Mission," James replied.

That explained it. Lily wasn't privy to many of the Order's more immediate plans, instead focusing on keeping an eye out at the school, so she never knew who was gone on missions and when.

"When should he be returning?"

"Soon," Peter said. "'Bout half an hour from now, I reckon. Was just recon, so it shouldn't take long."

The room went silent again, though Lily tried to stay upbeat. Even here, in a quiet kitchen, she was among peers and friends, and that was better than Hogwarts at times.

Then, as if their conversation had summoned him, Sirius came crashing through the front door. James leapt up from his seat, running forward and supporting Sirius when he swayed on his feet.

"Padfoot! You okay?"

"Fucking fine, mate. Just my rat arse of a family," Sirius grumbled. He heaved himself off James and onto the couch.

"What did they do to you?" asked Remus.

Normally, Lily wouldn't interrupt a conversation like this, but Sirius was injured. There was blood dripping from a gash in his cheek and one eye was swollen. His arms had multiple cuts and bruises, and judging from his entrance, one of his legs was hurt, too.

"Sirius," Lily said, "you need to be looked at."

Sirius looked up at her and smirked, though it looked like more of a grimace to her. "Isn't that what we've got you for, Evans? You're welcome to look at me any time."

Shaking her head at him, Lily used her wand to assess the damage. "Looks like it's mostly superficial injuries," she said. "Just bruising and lacerations. Nothing some charms and salves won't fix."

"So sexy when you talk Healing. Go on, Evans, I make a great patient," quipped Sirius.

Lily laughed at his innuendo. "Sirius, you dog. There's no need for that." Sirius woofed at her, and she rolled her eyes. "James, where do you keep that bruise-healing paste I gave you?"

"You stay here and work on him, Lily. I'll get it."

Lily made quick work of cleaning and sealing the open wounds on his arms, leg, and cheek while she waited for James. When he handed her the jar of paste, she applied it liberally to Sirius' arms and eye. "Right, that's about all I can do for you. I recommend staying home for the rest of the day, though."

James dragged a hand through his hair and sighed. "Thanks, Lily." He looked at Sirius. "Well, Padfoot, at least you're here in time for some lunch. Lily, I'll bring your plate in here when I get his, too. Pete and Remus ate while you were in here."

"Oh, thank you, James." She watched as he walked back towards the kitchen, distracted until Sirius spoke up.

"You called me a dog earlier. I don't think you know how spot on you were."

Lily turned to him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I'm an Animagus, and I'm a dog. Barely remembered you were gonna be here when I was on my way, or else I'd have shown up as Padfoot."

Her eyes widened as she realized what he meant. "As Padfoot? You mean—your nicknames? They're your animal forms?" She knew she was right when Sirius smirked. "So you—you're all Animagi? No, wait. Remus can't be. He's a—" she gasped. "You did it for Remus, didn't you?"

She didn't realize that James had returned, but right then he said, "Yes, we did. Though it would've been nice to know you were gonna tell my biggest secret, mate."

"No wonder he's less beat up when I treat him after the full moon. But… why are you telling me this now?" Lily felt exhilarated that Sirius trusted her with something like this. She knew they were friends, but _this,_ well…

Sirius shrugged. "Figured you'd earned it."

Lily sat next to him on the couch, taking her plate of food from James' hands. "Well, thanks, I guess." She took Sirius' plate and placed it on his lap. "Secrets aside, you need to eat."

Sirius laughed. "Yes, ma'am."

After a short while of eating in silence once again, Lily asked, "So, will I ever get to see your animal forms?"

James looked at Sirius, and they both grinned.

* * *

" _Protego!"_

"C'mon, Evans, you're slacking!"

"Really, James! We're not all as in shape as you!" Lily panted, ducking to avoid yet another jinx.

She was sweating and short of breath, but was enjoying herself. Training with James was going well—much more fun, in fact, than with Frank. Not that she didn't like Frank. She and James just had more fun together.

Sending a nonverbal Jelly-Legs Jinx and then shouting another Shield Charm, she managed to hit James. She laughed as he fell, unable to control his legs.

"Jelly-Legs? Really? I wasn't aware I was dueling a first year," he said once he managed to counter the curse.

"It worked all the same, James. And besides, I don't want to hurt you." She sat on the floor next to him, summoning glasses of water for them to drink.

"Aw, Evans, I'm touched." He grinned, and Lily laughed. He noticed a slightly pink tinge to her cheeks, and took a drink to hide his smile.

Lily, still out of breath and panting, shook her head and groaned. "Ugh. I need a shower."

"We've still got some time left, so that's going to have to wait." Lily groaned again, but James stood. Offering her his hand and pulling her to her feet, he said, "None of that. I haven't seen you all week, and this is what I get? You're a lousy mate, Lily."

She laughed. "Alright then. Let's get on with it, so I can clean up and have dinner."

"You're still coming to the Leaky with us, right? Sirius wanted—Shite!" James exclaimed. "My portkey is burning. I'm sorry, Lily, I've got to go."

"Be careful, won't you? James!"

But he was already gone, and in the next second, he was in battle. It was a nasty one, with horrible curses. Some he'd never seen before, and they weren't pretty. In no time at all, he was caught up in a duel with a Death Eater who'd lost his mask. He was basically a kid, and James had no trouble gaining the upper hand. James soon noticed that seemed to be the case for most of the Death Eaters present, and there were no reinforcements coming. It was strange, he thought, that there was no backup, and it worried him. He had to remember to bring that up to Moody.

The battle, if he could call it that, was over fairly quickly and with minimal injuries on his side. He had been called for backup because there weren't supposed to be Death Eaters there, and because Frank was the Order member in charge of the mission. James almost felt that the whole thing was useless until he saw Frank pointing his wand at a bound Severus Snape.

"Think we could learn a thing or two from him?" Frank asked James as he walked over.

James nodded grimly. "We can't tell Lily, though. Not yet." Snape's head shot up when he heard Lily's name, and James noticed. "That's right. Your precious Lily Evans is back and fighting, Snivellus. Can't imagine she's too happy with you at the moment, after what you've done." Snape's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything. To Frank, James said, "I'll meet you in the office. I've got something I want to mention to Moody."

* * *

After James had left in the middle of their training session, Lily had showered, grabbed a snack from the kitchens, and headed to the Ministry. She was supposed to see Moody and talk about her training every so often, and since she suddenly had free time, she figured she'd go then.

Moody seemed preoccupied when she reached his office, but he let her in to talk. She wasn't there long when James burst in, startling her.

"Moody, listen, there was something—Lily? What are you doing here?" He looked antsy and, upon seeing her, apprehensive, and she didn't like it.

"What's wrong? Why are you back so soon? Did something happen?" Lily asked, standing from her seat and walking towards him.

"Er—" James faltered, his gaze flicking between Moody and Lily, trying to decide how to deal with the situation. He didn't exactly want Lily finding out about Snape so soon, but he couldn't put off telling Moody what happened. Squaring his shoulders against the inevitable, James said, "Moody, we've got someone in custody."

Lily looked curiously at him, but James refused to meet her eye. Moody stood and left his office, walking with James towards one of the many Auror interrogation rooms. Lily followed, listening to James as he explained the mission to Moody.

"There were a bunch of Death Eaters—at first. They were mostly new, just kids. But they didn't bring in any backup, which was strange. We should look into that." Moody nodded, troubled at the thought. When they reached the room that Lily assumed held the captured Death Eater, James glanced back at her and said, "We got Snape."

At his words, Lily blanched. " _Snape_? You got—he's in there?" she cried. Knowing who was behind that door, Lily wasn't sure if she wanted to stay and confront him or run far, far away.

"Lily—" James began.

"But he—" Lily struggled to piece together her thoughts. "James, I need—"

"You're not going in there." James' voice was bordering on harsh, but he walked towards her and put his hands on her arms. "There are things you don't know, Lily, things you won't let yourself acknowledge. I won't let you in there. We can talk about this somewhere else, but if you confront him, you'll only get hurt."

Lily felt a stab of anger at the thought that he would have any control over her actions, but her curiosity at his words was stronger. She knew she wasn't completely processing all that her parents' death implied. And if he had some information she didn't, well…

Holding his gaze for a long moment, she slowed her breathing and nodded. When she looked away, she noticed Moody had already entered the interrogation room. James' hands slid down her arms and squeezed her hands. She smiled weakly at him and suggested, "Your place?"

He let out a breath and said, "Sure." He led her the Apparition point at the entrance of the Auror offices, squeezing the hand he still held once again in reassurance, and with a twist they were in his flat. "Can I get you anything?" he asked.

Lily, looking around to see if anyone else was home, responded, "Tea would be nice, thanks."

"On it. And they're all out—my mates, I mean. It's just us."

She felt a sort of relief when he said that. Not that she didn't like his friends, of course, but considering the conversation that would be happening, she'd feel more comfortable without them. Moments later, James, tray of tea in his hands, walked towards his room. Lily followed, sitting on his bed opposite him, the tea in between them. He poured her a cup the way she liked, and handed it to her.

"I'm glad you're okay," Lily said, partly to break the silence but mostly because she meant it. "You rushed off so quickly and, well, I'm still not completely used to this."

"It was exactly how I told Moody earlier. I was only called in because they hadn't expected any of the other side at all." James set down his cup to ruffle his hair. "They had no reinforcements so it was an easy feat."

"And you got Snape."

"And we got Snape, yeah."

Lily looked down at her lap. "I don't know what I was thinking. I just—I haven't seen him in years. He was the reason I left this world, you know?" James did know, but he wanted to hear everything from her. "He was my first friend from this world. And sure, he had rotten mates in school, but he was all I had over the summer. He taught me things, like Potions tricks, and he was the first to tell me I was magic. My sister… she treated me like a freak. Called me that, too. And our parents eventually gave up on us ever getting along. But they were my family and I loved them so much." She paused to take a deep breath. "Sev helped so much. Especially when I was younger. So when he told me I was in danger in this world, that I should leave to keep my family safe, I did. I knew he had some connections with the other side, so I believed him. I mean, I knew first-hand how much of a target I'd be. He promised he'd keep them away, just as long as I stayed home. And for those few years, we were safe. I was sort of getting along with my sister, my parents were happy… I didn't regret leaving." She looked at James. "I do now. I feel so foolish. I was a coward, running away."

"Lily—" James began to protest.

"It's how I feel, James. There was a war beginning and I just hid in the Muggle world." She shook her head. "You said there were things I wasn't telling myself, and you're right. Intellectually, I know there's only one reason my family could've been attacked. He was supposed to protect us, and yet my parents get killed? I know what that means. I knew it as soon as it happened. It just—it hurts to think about." She sighed and slumped back on the bed. She stared at the ceiling for a while until she asked, "Is there anything I should know? About him, or my parents?" She turned her head to look up at James.

He didn't answer immediately. H placed both of their cups on the tray and moved it to the floor. He then sighed and moved to lay down next to her. "I know you weren't there when it happened. I reckon that was Snape's doing—if he couldn't keep your family safe any longer, at least you wouldn't be hurt, or something like that." His gaze flicked to hers and she nodded. That was what she assumed, too, when she allowed herself to think about it. "I'm sure you talked to the Aurors about it. I don't think I know much that you don't, other than who was there."

He was right about that. The Aurors were at her house when she arrived, and they told her plenty about what had happened. They hadn't been able to specifically tell her who had actually done the crimes, though. Lily grabbed James' hand to let him know he could continue, that she was fine, but also to gather support for what she was about to hear. It was one thing to have her childhood friend be the reason her parents died, but for him to also be the cause… Well.

"We, as in the Order, arrived in the town shortly after we got word of Death Eater activity. They had already set fire to a few properties and were working on more. I think they had already been to your home because I remember overhearing Mulciber laughing about finally getting to Snape's Muggleborn." Lily flinched, hearing this side of her parents' murder. "I didn't know what that meant at the time, and he wasn't talking to Snape. Though, Lily," James said tentatively, and Lily's chest tightened because she knew what was coming, "he _was_ there. In the town, at least. Like I said, I wasn't there for, well. But I had to block a curse he sent to Sirius, one of his specialties in school, so he was definitely there."

James fell silent. Lily had scooted closer to him while he talked, and he brought an arm around her shoulders. Soon enough, his shirt was damp across his chest. He ran a hand up and down her back, trying to soothe her, but he knew this was her chance to fully grieve for her parents. If there was one thing he realized while becoming good friends with Lily, it was that she hadn't handled their deaths well. She herself admitted she wouldn't let herself think about it. So this, telling her the full truth and letting her cry as much as she needed to, was the least he could do.

After a while, though neither knew exactly how long, Lily looked up. Her cheeks and eyes shined, wet with tears. She brought a hand up and cupped his cheek. Before he knew it, she was kissing him. It was wet, but he had wanted something like this, with her, for a while now. He moved against her, threading his fingers in her hair and kissing her back fiercely. She had so much emotion pent up and he could almost taste it. She relaxed slightly against him, relinquishing herself to something she hadn't known she needed until recently, and it wasn't until her hands climbed their way under his shirt and up his chest that they stopped.

Lily was breathing hard, eyes dark but still slightly wet. James' hands squeezed her waist. He smiled down at her, affectionate but reserved. "We shouldn't do this while you're upset." Before she could make any wrong assumptions, he added, "Believe me, I'd love to continue, but I don't want to take advantage."

She shook her head to disagree. Now that she'd kissed him, it was like a dam broke. She had feelings for him before, sure. But they were slight and easily ignored in favor of being his friend. But suddenly, she practically ached for him. And maybe he was right, and some of it was misdirected grief for her parents, but she didn't think that mattered.

"Humor me," he said with half a smile. He sat up when she didn't protest and said, "C'mon. Let's grab something to eat. After that training session and the mission, I'm starved." He stood and held a hand out to help her up and she took it, trying to hide a small smile.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yes, I know, it's been _ages_. But this one is the longest yet. And I've got the whole thing planned out. Anyways, don't yet know how I feel about the second half, as it's weightier than I'm used to, but lemme know what you think!


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